


My young, very young, Apprentice

by Webtrinsic



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Age Regression/De-Aging, Ahsoka Tano-centric, Bacta (Star Wars), Brother-Sister Relationships, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Father-Daughter Relationship, Goodbyes, Jedi Younglings (Star Wars), Kid Ahsoka Tano, Master & Padawan Relationship(s), Obi-Wan Kenobi Gets a Hug, Obi-Wan Kenobi Needs a Hug, Padawan Ahsoka Tano, Protective Ahsoka Tano, Protective Anakin Skywalker, Team as Family, Togruta Culture & Traditions (Star Wars), Togrutas (Star Wars), Togruti
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-22
Updated: 2020-12-22
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:27:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,033
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28236177
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Webtrinsic/pseuds/Webtrinsic
Summary: When Ahsoka Tano is turned back into a three-year-old the Jedi can say nothing of her limitless bounds of affection. Anakin and Obi-Wan enjoy it to no end.
Relationships: Anakin Skywalker & Ahsoka Tano, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Ahsoka Tano, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker & Ahsoka Tano
Comments: 27
Kudos: 287





	My young, very young, Apprentice

**Author's Note:**

> I LOVE THIS SO MUCH AND I HOPE YALL DO TOO, idk if the translations are accurate I just used a website that had all the togruti words, plus SHES a toddler so I kinda doubt grammer matters, plus my grammer is normally atrocious so like if y’all read normally y’all know that so who cares lol

It’s a frightening and admittedly an ingenious plan, but it is still another thing on an atrociously long list of things the Jedi now has to look out for. Starting with how it was made. A ray that could deage anyone in a split second. It was a marvel. 

Useless to the Jedi too, with the Sith utilizing droids for their warfare and not actual living beings. But that’s not why they wanted their hands on the device, with it they wouldn’t have to worry about toddler’s running amuck on the battlefield, and more importantly, they could get their affected Jedi back to their proper age.

From recent attacks, the plan was fairly simple but didn’t fail to fill them with a sense of foreboding. With deaging meant the sith would keep this war going on for as long as they needed to grow their new weapons of war.

Mainly they were stealing padawan’s right out from under their master’s noses (only one grown knighted Jedi had been affected so far), planning to raise them to fight the very same master’s that’d originally raised them. Smart in theory, horrifying in execution, and devastating when met with success.

It is a miracle, a blessing, for both sides even, that when the most important padawan in the Jedi order, Ahsoka Tano is hit. They do not manage to take her in the way they did most of the other’s. 

Master Windu, who knows of her master’s attachment, wonders idly if they had, if the chosen one would have ended the war that very same day. A few others on the council shared that thought, but no one, not even master Yoda, who only chuffed a devastating yet mirthful laugh when Mace had spoken aloud his thoughts when they were alone, decided to bring this thought up to Anakin.

His anxiety was not easily quelled, at times it almost seemed as if the force was wilfully making him sit with his feelings. It is even more prevalent now with a three year old togruta clinging to his chest, unable to even speak basic, and holding onto him as if he’d disappear the second she let go.

No one was sure if her or any of the de-aged padawan’s had their memories, they're pretty sure the girl had only latched onto her master because he was purposefully crooning through their warped forcebond so “instinctively” the girl decided to trust him.

Plo Koon had noted she hadn’t been an inherently shy child, a little weary yes, but when she was finally comfortable she was a ball of energy, but with the trauma of what they were almost sure was memory loss and de-aging a good ten-eleven years, she was likely very disoriented.

Barriss Offee, one other Padawan, and the only knight hit with the ray were all acting similarly. Ahsoka by far was the easiest to observe, her more sociable behavior as she slowly came back to her more exuberant self measurable.

* * *

“Sa’daar,” the girl called, pulling lightly at Anakin’s collar to get his attention before pointing at the blanket on his bed. Anakin held the little girl on his hip, trying to pour them some tea with Obi-Wan on his way to his quarters.

Anakin still had no idea what Sa’daar meant, but whatever it translated to, he was sure it in some way was referring to him. He’d have to ask Shaak Ti later, but he’d been exasperating his comm and most likely her ever since Ahsoka had been changed last week.

Being on the resolute with a very scared, not to mention bitey Snips on a ship for a week was absolutely soul crushing. He hadn’t known what to do, didn’t know if the assurance he was providing was enough, if what she was eating was okay.

Ahsoka had always been so little compared to him, but now, kriff she was so tiny. He’d been so afraid he’d hurt her, he still was, but as her master it was his job to take care of her. And even if she was a small, minuscule version of Ahsoka, he would do what he could.

Picking up the blanket, the little girl happily tucked it around herself with some help. Leaning her plump lekku against his chest, and watching intently as he prepared the meal. His nervousness at doing tasks with her bundled against his chest very apparent.

Master Plo Koon had informed him that Ahsoka had been found so easily because her ability to sense others emotions without any trouble at all, if she was sensing his ire now, thankfully she didn’t react to it.

Then again, it could also be why she’d been so docile this week. Their worst misadventure had really been during the battle and the day after, she’d been wailing and screaming, little hands holding her lekku, tears breaking down her fatty facial marks before biting him not once but five times when he first tried to comfort her.

None of the bites would scar, thankfully, he didn’t know how he’d explain those marks with the same gusto he describes his others. Even still the little girl apologized in the only way she could, solemnly, apologetically patting the wounds with a soft hand and then pressing a smacking kiss to the skin.

The door beeped and Obi-Wan thankfully didn’t wait for Anakin to come and open it and stepped in. Noticing the predicament the man was in before taking the tea to the table itself, the ginger man gave a soft smile and bow to the little togruta who was doing nothing to hide her staring.

Seemingly less shy with her constant observations of the world around her while within her master’s arms. The little togruta hesitantly ducked her head forward, pulling back too quickly to be graceful, but it was a bow nonetheless.

There’s an endeared smile that lights both the men’s faces at the action, when Anakin notices Obi-Wan’s matching smile and his fatherly gaze at his padawan, he is forced to look away. Taking a seat on the couch, Ahsoka is now looking up curiously at her master, picking up on his jealousy through their bond and his face alone.

“D’bhem sa’daar,” the girl speaks up insistently, moving to stand on his lap and pat at his heart, but he still doesn’t understand. Instead he helps wrap her back up in her falling blanket and sit her back down, even as she repeats her litany all the way up until she’s sipping on the cooled tea Obi-Wan was offering.

“Have you spoken with Shaak Ti about what she could be saying?” It’s an easy question, one that is easy to answer as instinctually almost absently Anakin adjusts the cup in the little girl's arms when he feels her grip wobble.

“No, I think I’ve been overwhelming her a bit with my questions,” he’s embarrassed to admit it but he shouldn’t be.

“I’m sure Ahsoka appreciates it,” Obi-Wan returns, watching the little girl hand her empty cup off to her master after her white pinched brow displayed her frustration of not being able to put it on the table herself.

While setting the cup on the table for her, Ahsoka found herself enthralled with the long hanging sleeves of her Master’s tunic. It’s not like him to usually wear his robes, but Ahsoka had been taken with the long robes she could readily hide in.

She’d spooked quite a few master’s in the halls jumping out of his robes with a fierce trilling noise that constituted as a war cry. Seeing Kit Fisto jumping a foot into the air had been a pick-me-up he hadn’t known he needed.

“I’m sure she does,” Anakin returned with a huffing laugh, absently running his fingers over her head tails. With each movement of his hand, the girl’s eyelids pulled, lulling her closer and closer to sleep.

Purposefully trying to set the togruta down for her naps hadn’t been successful, Anakin had since learned it was easier to let her drift off on her own. 

The comm on his arm disturbed the silence as the little girl fell asleep against her master’s chest, the sound luckily not waking the togruta.

“Talk to me,” Anakin replied, assuming it was Rex.

“Master Skywalker,” Master Shaak Ti’s elegant voice came through, “I just wanted to ask if you had any more questions I could help answer for you?” If the two were hearing it right, they were almost sure there was a hint of amusement in her tone.

Obi-Wan’s brow quirked, an encouraging look being sent to his padawan. Taking the hint, the chosen one swallowed, looking down adoringly at his dozing ward.

“Yeah, I was-she keeps calling me sa’daar? And just a second ago she said ‘d’behm sa’daar’ and I don-” Never in his life did Anakin or Obi-Wan think Shaak Ti would cut off a conversation with a soft chuckle.

It’s obvious she’s trying to compose herself as she speaks, and when she does it is drowned with fondness, “Sa’daar is togruti for brother,” another laugh this time softer, something filled with longing, “And D’behm means love, I believe when she was telling you d’behm sa’daar she was trying to tell you she loves you,” It is highly, grossly against what the Jedi stand for, but they cannot fault a child for her affection. 

Anakin holds the girl a little tighter and Obi-Wan mercifully turns his cheek.

“Would you like me to clarify anything else for you?” 

“No, no it’s alright. That’s everything I needed,” Anakin’s voice is choked, and it seems to be the week of miracles because she doesn’t reprimand him for his shock in the same way he doesn’t mention the lilt to her tone.

Obi-Wan get’s his own summons, his lack of current padawan making him one of the more eligible masters to go out on missions. A look is shared between the two, a gentle hand is brushed over the girl's facial markings before squeezing Anakin’s shoulder.

“Do follow your padawan’s example and get some rest, trust me when I say it’s better to sleep while they do,” he’s gone before Anakin could repugnantly refute his claim, ultimately knowing his master is in fact right as he slowly shifts until he is laying on his back, Ahsoka curled like a loth cat on his chest, his heartbeat taking up all the sound in her montrals.

* * *

Somehow, in some inexplicable way, Ahsoka had gotten her hands on a wooden training saber. She hadn’t stopped swinging it at Rex’s greave’s all day, the little girl terribly upset as her master was busy with sith knows what. 

Rex simply hopes the man’s taking this time to catch up on his sleep. He’s technically been babysitting Ahsoka, even if she resented and argued with that fact, since she first became his general’s padawan.

Her being fourteen, fifteen, or three, well it didn’t make much of a difference. Sure this little ‘soka was more reserved, but she’d hit her end and wanted her master, meaning his greaves were to be scrapped and dented by her tiny wielding hands.

“Sa’daar!” the girl was growling, her teeth gnashing as she kept thrashing.

“I’m sorry little ‘un, sa’daar’s busy,” he tried to explain, unsure if the girl understood basic but this was a tantrum. He didn’t know much about children but from what he heard there wasn’t often any reasoning when a child was tussling.

“Sa’daar,” the little girl just kept calling, nearly hitting herself with the kickback of her little sword. Looking over to his helmet on the desk, CT-7567 placed it onto her head with ease, her assault neverending, the only difference now being the tiny thumping accompanying the blows when the saber came back to the helmet.

“Mi k’ya Sa’daar!” her little chittering voice called, echoing in her helmet confines. Now that he knows what Sa’daar mean’s, and Mi is pretty self explanatory, he’s knows she’s yelling her want for her master and he sadly cannot fetch him.

Resigning himself to scuff marks, he at least tries to get some work done while the togruta continues her cries.

* * *

The last thing both Anakin and Luminara had expected was for Ahsoka and Barriss to fight. It hadn’t ended well for both parties, the two little ones scraped, bruised, and bleeding.

It had been Barriss who started it, and Ahsoka was a fighter to the end. So walking into the room where the two little ones were beating the Kriff out of each other with their training sabers, Ahsoka trying to bite Barriss’s arm while the yellow child was none too gently yanking at Ahsoka’s lekku had startled them both.

Anakin had practically lost his lunch as the sight of his padawan’s small body bruised, blood falling from warped nail marks on her delicate lekku.

He’d almost punted the other child on instinct, luckily Master Unduli had yanked Barriss’s arm and pulled her away to scorn her before he could.

He wouldn’t have known what to do if he’d actually done it.

Regardless, little ‘soka disliked the halls of healing just as much as older Ahsoka. Trying and failing to run out the room anytime so much as the healers head was facing a different direction.

The feel of the bacta had her nose scrunching, he was almost certain she'd said, “Icky,” when it was applied, but he could deal with that discomfort if it meant she wouldn’t actually be injured anymore.

Anakin was almost sure he lost ten years of his life today, and Ahsoka didn’t seem all too conflicted.

Especially considering she’d done most of the damage, something Anakin wouldn’t admit he was just a little bit proud of. 

“No more training saber for you,” he was lucky she didn’t lose an eye.

Ahsoka didn’t care, or just couldn’t understand him. Something still to be determined, but her overall behavior wasn’t the most compelling indicator. She was intelligent no doubt, but it was possible she was just ignoring them. Kids were funny like that.

Yawning, the little girl rested against her master. The war, her fight with Barriss, and everything else that usually mattered to the girl far from her mind as another bacta patch was applied and Anakin was able to cart his sleeping apprentice back to his quarters.

The thought of the Jedi’s advancing attempts on smuggling the aging ray ill on his mind. He missed normal Ahsoka, but he didn’t think he was quite ready to see little ‘soka go. 

It was conflicting, but only time could tell, and this war could go on forever.

* * *

When Obi-Wan returns to the temple, exhausted is not a strong enough word to describe what he is feeling. 

His eyelids are as heavy as rocks and yet he cannot stop himself from going to check in on Anakin.

When he gets in the door one thing is very obvious, Anakin is asleep, not snoring but his breaths are loud. Ahsoka on the other hand who is also curled up beside him is not. 

Her horns point towards the ceiling as she peaks up, and it’s so adorable he can’t help the wave of fondness that overtakes him as her big blue eyes lock onto him.

As always it would seem the little togruta picks up on his plight. She’d been rather attached to Anakin, so it is a welcome surprise when the girl carefully maneuver’s out of her master’s bed and up to him.

Ahsoka looks up at her grandmaster almost sadly, and even though his arms ache he picks her up, in need of a hug.

She held to him tightly, even squeezing her eyes shut, and through their very slim, string of a bond, she passed on some comfort as her tiny tangerine hands swept over his shoulders.

It’s probably against his better judgement but he treks back to his own room, Ahsoka still blessedly providing comfort from within his arms. He still has to file a report before he can get some rest, and as he does so Ahsoka pets and provides comfort, even as he makes them some tea.

“You know Anakin used to hate my tea? I had to tell him it was one of Qui-Gon’s favorites before he would even take a sip,” Obi-Wan is sure she’s listening because the look in her eyes and the small nearly invisible smile on her lips.

If she’s not, well, he’s simply glad for the company.

The little girl took small sips as he spoke, her fingers absently gripping one of his own.

“I often find myself missing when Anakin was young, he was a pain at times but at least then it still felt as if he needed me. I never got to know him as young as you are now,” 

The togruta is quiet, her lekku smushed against the older man’s firm heartbeat, it too saddened by his words.

“But that is growing up I suppose. I thought I would have been ready for the day but I was wrong. Now here he is taking care of you. I don’t think you realize how incredibly grateful I am for you Ahsoka, if only Anakin and I’s partnership had been more similar to yours,” 

Tears are building up in both their eyes, he doesn’t notice hers, more preoccupied with shaking his own away.

“Well I guess we better finish this,” Obi-Wan resumes filling in his report, Ahsoka less than absently using her free hand to run over his broken heart.

“D’behm,” the girl murmurs softly, missing the man’s brief pause as he takes in the word, shuts his eyes, sadly and almost painfully opening them again after a moment and finishing his report.

He doesn’t acknowledge what she says, but he is awfully tender as he tucks them into bed, the sentiment of the word traveling across their string, and then Anakin’s rope, making each just a little bit stronger.

* * *

Anakin nearly breaks down the door in the morning, and in doing so he is immediately scolded by his pint-sized padawan for nearly disturbing her grandmaster’s sleep.

He calms at the sight, and still feels childishly put out by even little Ahsoka’s glare. Obi-Wan’s wan and deeply resting body she is settled beside doesn’t make him feel any better. 

“Are you hungry?” That he knows is a question she understands, and if she hadn’t before they made it back to the temple she does now. 

Nodding the girl puts two grubby arms up, knowing there is at the moment no way for her to crawl over her grandmaster without waking him. 

Anakin lifts her easily, taking to the cue with gusto. Making to leave before his chest pangs, and he does what Obi-Wan had done for him a thousand times over. 

He fixes the blankets so they aren’t tangled, and makes sure the man’s pillow is to his liking before the pair leave the man to rest.

Ahsoka pokes the embarrassed blush on his cheeks with a finger he playfully pretends to chomp at as soon as they are out of the room so she can scream with laughter without risk.

* * *

Anakin is beaten and bloody, eyes opening wearily as the fluorescent lights nearly blind him. He’s almost sure what he’s seeing in front of him isn’t real.

Ahsoka is three years old, sitting in Obi-Wan’s lap, his hand overlapping hers as it run’s over his facial hair.

She makes a sound he knows is a giggle and a deeper matching sound erupts from his master. And that sound alone makes what he’s seeing even more ethereal.

But the pain tingling throughout his body lets him know this is all too real, and memories of this past week where Ahsoka was turned into a small child under his watch returned with a frightening amount of clarity.

“Sa’daar!” Her voice breaks his trance, and Obi-Wan carefully sets the youngling on the bed, his hand still placed on her so if he needed to pull her back he could.

“Easy Ahsoka,” the master cautions, and Anakin can’t help but smile and try to wipe her concerned frown off her little face.

“I’m alright little one,” she doesn’t seem convinced and latches her fingers like talons along his own.

“I’ll be alright snips,” the nickname brings the tinges of a smile back onto her face as she leans back against her grandmaster, never letting go of her master’s finger.

“Well good you had us worried,” 

* * *

The council meeting is probably one of the most painful he’s ever had to attend. They can fix Ahsoka, and by the saddened look in his master’s eye, he wasn’t the only one who wasn’t ready.

“Bring her to the halls of healing,” Mace instructs, “It seems to have worked for Barriss Offee but they’ll have to stay in medical for a few days,”

It’s understandable, the effects of such an experience could not only leave their padawan lethargic or potentially something much worse.

“You’re dismissed,”

Anakin was never any good at goodbye’s, and as he walks down the hall to his room where Ahsoka is waiting, curled asleep in his robes, it hurts.

Sensing his distress, tired sleep filled eyes open when he steps inside. Obi-Wan had been right behind him in the hall but hadn’t stepped in. Something Anakin was almost grateful for even if he also wished he was here so he could do this without breaking down and without feeling. 

Kneeling beside his bed, Ahsoka sat up confused at his behavior and the brave smile he tries to put on is weak at best. 

Immediately she’s scooting closer, trying to wipe his eyes even before he’d realized they’d gone teary.

This isn’t really a goodbye, so why is it so hard?

But Anakin knows why, he’s always known, Obi-Wan knows, even Shaak Ti knows.

This isn’t a goodbye to his tiny padawan, this is a goodbye to an Ahsoka who could freely express her love without having to fear the dark or the councils judgement. 

This is an Ahsoka who could call him big brother, family, and no one would bat an eye because that’s just what children do.

But they are at war and if things get worse he doesn’t know how he could survive seeing her tiny little face break.

Ahsoka seems to understand all this, maybe he’s projecting. He doesn’t know. 

Jumping into his arms, the little girl places a peck to his cheek, places a firm hand over his heart and exclaims with more conviction that he thought the three year old had possible: “D’behm Sa’daar,”

Tears wash over his face, and his robes get sticky and wet as he fervently wipes them away. Taking just a few moments more to hug his affectionate padawan goodbye.

When they enter the hall, Obi-Wan says nothing of his tear blotted face, but he does scan the hall for any observers. There are none so he gives little Ahsoka a bow of respect, and lovingly pets along her lekku.

“D’behm,” the girl insists, and they know so deeply it means love. And it’s shocking they hadn’t realized that before it’d been legitimately translated.

* * *

Ahsoka deflects a bolt easily, feeling back to herself again out on the battlefield. Her master and grandmaster do not know what memories she’d retained from her experience, or that she ever even understood them.

But she had, all too well, and this experience alone starts to build an almost crippling sense of doubt in her beliefs.

The only pleasant thought being her master never really followed the rules either. 

* * *

Later that night, both her, her master, and grandmaster are camping out in a secluded cave, the clones a few paces away.

Right before they all go to sleep, she says loud enough for the both of them to hear, “D’behm,” and if not physically, mentally the sentiment is woven throughout their bonds in turn.

Their sleeping bags are pulled a little closer that night, and in the morning, “D’behm,” is said again in their own ways. 

Anakin rolls up her sleeping bag, and Obi-Wan makes sure to give her the tastier ration. She wonders if they doubt the Jedi’s teachings too. 

**Author's Note:**

> My grandpa used to hold are hands and rub it across his facial hair and I was like omg thatd be so cute and it was a nice memory so haha it’s here now
> 
> Snap: allisonw1122  
> Tumblr/twitter: webtrinsic1122  
> Insta:Webtrinsic


End file.
